Traffic signal



W. F. FREEMAN TRAFFIC SIGNAL Dec. 26, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 4, 1948 JNVENTOR.

Dec. 26, 1950 f w, FREEMAN 2,535,200

TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Oct. 4, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATIENT:

OFFICE 2,535,206 TRAFFIC. SIGNAL Walter 'F..-Frceman. Springfield, Mass. AppllcatloniOctcber.4, 1943, Serial No. 52,671

' '20laims... (Cl. 177 -337) My invention relates-to improvements in signal apparatus and is directed more particularly to i the provision of a traili'c' signal deviceand to an im-f' provement in the means for emitting-signals for controlling traffic.

It is the'principal object of my intention to provide a novel and improved signal construction of the type which is-adapted and arranged for'use atstreet' intersections and the like.

With the above primary 'object inview; it is is relatively simpleand compactin accordance with the demands'and desires of purchasers as well as of the manufacturers thereofand which is, notonly attractive in its appearanceand prac--' tical in its value but also reliable in its operation and thoroughly efficient in its use;

According to certain novel features o! my in-= vention, one or more signal members are provided which have a plurality of colored transparent members and these-signal members are rotatable forshifting' movements relative to win-1 dowsin the casing of the'apparatus.

According to other novel features of my in -"1 vention, means'is provided for rotating the 'sig- Other prime objects of my invention include:

first, the provision of a simplified construction and arrangement of a ti'afflc' signaidevice which is" strong, durable and compact in' its' 'structu're" and is distinctive in its appearance;' secondthe securement of a higher degree of accuracy in the' manner of work performed therewith than has heretofore been possible with prior devices known inthe'art; third, the attainment of?) higher d8 gree of speed of 'constriic'tion and assembly {of the device due to its simplification in design and its unique composition of'parts; tourthfthe'attain ment of a flexibility or a capability of adjustment by which a large variety of work can be produced by means of the same device; fifth,

the achievement ofsa greater ease in'adjustment improved and repairs; sixth, the provision o traffic signal device which-inayb ace more economically and with fewer operations in'the' manufacture of its parts, as well as in the as- H sembly of the same, than prior'devices known in I p 10'- another-object of my mvention'to provide a con-' struction of the above described character which the art; and seventh; the provision of a construction which may be readily installed.

These objectsI accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts thereof, as will fully appear by a perusal of the description below and by various specific features which will be hereinafter set forth.

To the above cited and other ends and with the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other. objects of my invention as willbecome. more readily apparent as the description proceeds, my'invention consists in cer tain novel features of construction and-the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims ihereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the signal: apparatus embodying the novel features'of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a combined sideelevational and sec tional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of- Fig. '2,

:Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram ofthe device of invention, and v Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofthe contact .arm

of the apparatus.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevational view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

In the above *mentioned drawings annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification.

I have shown but one embodiment of myinvention which is deemed preferable, but it is to be understood that changes and modifications may bemade Within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention:

Referring now to the different drawings" more in detail, in which similar characters of refer-- ence indicate corresponding parts in all the figures and referring more particularly tothe preferred form of vmy invention'selected for illustrative purposes, I have shown a casing or hous ing 2 which hasa bottom wall 4, an upper wall 6, and pairs of side walls 8 and I0. Corner walls The sidewalls are provided with windows such asl2 are connected to adjacent side walls.

shown at M in Fig. 2.

It will be noted that the side walls of thepairs thereof diverge from the;walls H! which are disposed between the pairs of side walls;

A signal supporting shaft I6 is'journalled at opposite'ends in bearings such as l8 which are secured to opposite corner walls I2 between the pairs of side walls 8 and ID.

A signal member is provided for each pair of side walls and one form thereof is represented by 26 in Fig. 2. This member 2|] has a hub 22 which is fixed to the shaft I6 and has a wall in the shape of a cone substantially as shown in Fig. 2.

The cone is formed from a transparent material such as glass or plastic and it is divided into segments 24 which may be of different colors as indicated.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a hub 26 is fixed to the shaft I6 and arms which carry transparent arm 68 is free to swing downwardly, the end I2 of the arm engages the contact 18 so as to complete a circuit. The arm is attracted to the magnet which holds the arm in a circuit closing position until the magnet is deenergized.

A cam 80 is fixed to the shaft 34 and it has peripherial arm actuating portions 82 which, as the cam is rotated, engage an off-set portion H of the rear end of the arm 68 to elevate and hold the arm in an upper circuit open position.

When in rotation, a portion 82 of cam 88 passes off from part II of arm 68 and falls into a recess 84 of the cam, whereupon the arm swings downsignal members 28 may radiate therefrom. These members 28 may be transparent and of different colors as is indicated and may be so arranged that the planes thereof are disposed in the form of a cone so as to obtain a result identical with the result obtained with the signal member 20 in Fig. 2.

-The shaft I 6 is rotated so as to position one of the colored segments 24 or one of the members 28 adjacent each of the windows I4.

The colors selected will be these usually employed in traffic signals such as red, yellow and reen.

A drive shaft 30 is provided which is rotatable in one or more bearings such as 32. The shaft may be operated from a motor or the like which will be energized for operation through a time device of any well known form.

A shaft 34 is rotatable in a bearing 36 and has a worm gear 35 fixed thereto which is in mesh with" a worm 36' fixed on shaft 30.

A disc 38 is fixed to shaft 34 and has projecting from the rear face thereof a plurality of pins 40. A gear 42 is fixed to the shaft I6 and the teeth of this gear are engaged by the pins 48 as the disc 38 rotates.

The arts are so arranged that, as the shaft 36 is rotated to rotate shaft 34 by means of geared members 35 and 36, a pair of pins 48 of disc 38 engages gear 42 to rotate shaft I6. The pairs of. pins are spaced about the disc 38 and the parts are arranged so that the shaft I6 is rotated through an arc of 90 degrees when a pair of pins engages and drives gear 42. Asone pair of pins disengages gear 42, the shaft I6 is at rest until the next pair of pins engages the gear.

The interval of time between rotative movements of the shaft I6 may be varied by varying the gearing or by varying the operation of the shaft 35.

A means is provided for locking the shaft I6 against rotation during rotation of the disc 38 from one actuating position to another. This means includes an armature 56 which has a dog 52 receivable in slots 54 of the hub 22.

The armature is slidable up and down on pins such as 56 depending from a bracket 58 which is secured to the wall I2. An electromagnet 60 is secured to the bracket 58 and when energized it attracts and moves the armature upwardly from a slot-54' of the hub 22 whereby the shaft I6 is free to rotate.

A bracket 68' is secured to the lower wall 4 and a block of insulation 62 is pivoted thereto as by a pivot 66, as shown in Fig. 3. An arm 68 is secured to the block 62 and it hasa rear portion I6 and a forward contact portion I2. An electromagnet i4 is disposed beneath the forward end 12;of the-arm 68 which when energizedat tracts the arm. A post I6 carries a contact 18 which;iseng-ageable by the arm 68.

When the electromagnet I4 is energized the tuate it, the arm 68 is released by a cam portion 82 so that the arm drops into contact with the contact I8. This movement closes the circuit so that electromagnets 60 and 14 are energized, the arm being held in a circuit closing position by the electromagnet I4 and the armature 50 and dog 52 being moved upwardly by the electromagnet 68.

In this way, thedogiswithdrawn from a slot 54 of the hub 22 whereby the shaft I6 is free for ro-.-.

tation.

When the shaft l6 has been rotated through ninety degrees, a portion 82 of the disc 86 engages and elevates the arm 18 breaking the cirsuit and tie-energizing the electromagnets. electromagnet 68 is dc-energized, the armature 59 and the dog 52 are released so that the dog drops into a slot 54 of the hub 22 to lock the shaft I6 against rotation.

Thus the shaft I6 is intermittently released for rotation and is rotated for positioning portionsof the signalmember adjacent the windows each signal member having portions adjacent windows of relatively diverging walls and when the signal members are positioned the shaft I6- is locked against rotation. 1

Any desired form of illumination may be employedbut for illustrative purposes a light bulb is shown at I08. 1

It-will be noted that opposite portions of thesignal members are disposed in diverging relationrelative'to the axis of rotation of shaft I6 and ofthe signal members so that said portions aredisposed adjacent the pairs of side walls and overthe windows therein.

The relative positions of the colored segments 24 to each other is important. That is to say, the.

trafiic signal is for use at a street intersection and must separately signal vehicle and pedestrian traific coming from different directions simultaneously.

As shown, the-colors are soarranged as to each other that when a first side shows green meaning go a second side shows red meaning stop and: when the first side shows yellow meaning cau--v tion, the second-side still shows red.

The invention may be embodied in other-- specific forms'without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore; to be considered in allrespects merely as being illustrative and not as;-being-restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather ,than by the foregoing descriptiom'and all m0di;-;,;

other pair, each of said side walls provided with windows therethrough, a shaft extending between and having opposite ends journalled for rotation in said side walls, signal devices fixed to said shaft adjacent opposite ends thereof, each said signal device including a plurality of circumferentially arranged colored transparent members, the transparent members of each said signal device diverging inwardly towards the members of the other said signal device and on an angle substantially similar to the angle of divergence of the walls of the pairs thereof whereby the members may be disposed inwardly of the windows, operating means to rotate said shaft in a step-by-step manner to position different transparent members of said signal devices adjacent the windows, ,a light bulb depending from said upper wall and disposed between said signal devices, and means to lock said shaft against rotation.

2. Signal apparatus comprising in combination, a housing having bottom and side walls extending vertically upwardly therefrom and an upper wall secured to upper ends of the side walls, said side walls arranged in opposite pairs thereof, the walls of each pair disposed in diverging relation and extending towards the walls of the other pair, each of said side walls provided with windows therethrough, a shaft extending between and having opposite ends journalled for rotation in said side walls, signal devices fixed to said shaft adjacent opposite ends thereof, each said signal device including a plurality of circumferentially arranged colored transparent members, the transparent members of each said signal device diverging inwardly towards the members of the other device and on an angle substantially similar to the angle of divergence of the walls of the pairs thereof whereby the members may be disposed inwardly of the windows, operating means to rotate said shaft in a stepby-step manner to position different transparent members of the signal devices adjacent the windows, a light bulb depending from said upper wall and disposed between said signal devices, means to lock said shaft against rotation, and means operating said locking means under the control of said first named operating means.

WALTER F. FREEMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name Date 1,686,329 Keogan Oct. 2, 1928 1,829,025 Walker Oct. 27, 1931 1,846,987 Boor Feb. 23, 1932 2,157,636 Shaw May 9, 1939 2,235,728 Ramspeck Mar. 18, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 349,113 Great Britain May 12, 1931 

